Olympus E-M10 III vs Pentax K-1 II

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Olympus E-M10 III vs Pentax K-1 II

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4/3 226.2mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M10 III Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M10 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M10 III.
Compare Olympus E-M10 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M10 III conclusion.

35mm 861.6mm²
36.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 819,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-1 II Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-1 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-1 II.
Compare Pentax K-1 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-1 II conclusion.

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Differences

Olympus E-M10 III advantages over Pentax K-1 II

Less expensive
$799 vs $1997
Save money for lenses or accessories
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~1.00 vs 1.4 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Thinner
49 mm vs 85 mm
Thinner
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
8.6 fps vs 4.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 77 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.6 fps vs 4.6 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
33 vs 17 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Pentax K-1 II advantages over Olympus E-M10 III

Larger sensor
35mm vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.88 vs 3.78 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

670 vs 330 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
105 mm vs 84 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.62x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
36.4 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Higher extended ISO
819200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Tiltable Screen
Both provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-1 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Superbly-built, comfortable and compact body; Pairs beautifully with pancake kit lens; Excellent image quality; Excellent performance in most respects; Great single-shot autofocus; Really nice viewfinder and touch-screen display; Friendlier user interface courts amateurs.
Some controls are a bit small and tightly-packed; Hand grips are still a bit modestly-sized for larger lenses; Continuous and video autofocus just isn't up to snuff; New user interface can feel limiting to advanced photographers; Underwhelming battery life.
Read our Olympus E-M10 III Review

Excellent build and comfortable handling; Bright, roomy viewfinder and articulated LCD; Great image quality; Good performance for the class; In-camera stabilization, GPS and Wi-Fi; Incredibly feature-rich design.
Bulkier than APS-C DSLRs; Top ISOs are for the spec sheet, not the real world; JPEGs are a bit punchy by default; Slow startup; Below-average battery life; Only a relatively modest update to the K-1.
Read our Pentax K-1 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M10 III

Olympus E-M5 II

$549
4/3

Shoot 4K video
Internal flash

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
High resolution composite

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Olympus E-M5 II

Pentax K-1 II

Olympus E-M5 II

$1747
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$899
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Olympus E-M5 II

Compared to Olympus E-M10 II

Olympus E-M10 III

Olympus E-M10 II

$549
4/3

Shoot 4K video
Bigger JPEG buffer

$349
4/3

Less expensive

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Olympus E-M10 II

Pentax K-1 II

Olympus E-M10 II

$1747
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$349
4/3

Less expensive
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Olympus E-M10 II

Compared to Panasonic GX85

Olympus E-M10 III

Panasonic GX85

$549
4/3

More telephoto lens reach
Higher max flash sync

$598
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Panasonic GX85

Pentax K-1 II

Panasonic GX85

$1747
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Panasonic GX85

Compared to Canon 5D Mark IV

Olympus E-M10 III

Canon 5D Mark IV

$549
4/3

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2249
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Pentax K-1 II

Canon 5D Mark IV

$1747
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2249
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Compared to Nikon D850

Olympus E-M10 III

Nikon D850

$549
4/3

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$2464
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M10 III vs Nikon D850

Pentax K-1 II

Nikon D850

$1747
35mm

In-Camera Image Stabilization
High resolution composite

$2464
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Nikon D850

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